MATRIMONY

"The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament." - Catechism of the Catholic Church

Preparing for Matrimony

Congratulations on your decision to get married in the Catholic Church!

The following information should help you as you begin the process of preparing as a couple for the Sacrament of Matrimony. Like other sacraments of the Catholic Church, Marriage requires spiritual preparation and as such, we request at least nine months preparation time. Due to the great demand of weddings we are accepting members who have been registered more than six months.

Times Available

Weddings take place on Saturdays only in:

St. Francis of Assisi Church at 1:30 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.

St. Clare Chapel at 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.

Both have a bride’s room available for the wedding ceremony.

Rehearsals are scheduled the Friday before the wedding at 4:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis. The only exceptions are if the Friday is a holiday, solemnity or if there is a conflicting parish event.

Cost

Wedding fees are $850 for a chapel wedding or $1050 for a church wedding. This includes chapel/church, musician, wedding coordinator, Diocese prenuptial fee, and a $50 refundable deposit*. 50% of fees are due to reserve a date (nonrefundable). The remaining balance is due 3 months prior to the wedding.

* Deposit is refunded upon determination that there was no damage to church property and that the couple arrived promptly to the ceremony & rehearsal.

If financial adjustments are needed, please discuss and the time of reservation.

The services of the priest or deacon are free, but it is customary to offer a stipend. Couples may want to consider not only the time devoted to the wedding, but also the effort put into the marriage preparation process.

Initial Interview

The couple must schedule an appointment for their initial interview by emailing the Marriage Administrator or by calling (972) 712-1591, ext. 225 on Mondays from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursday from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. – noon.

To reserve a wedding date and time, the couple must:

provide 50 % of the total cost of the ceremony, which is nonrefundable

bring baptism certificate(s) as detailed in the 'Documents Needed' section

Documents Needed

For All Couples:

Original and newly issued baptism certificate with notations for each Catholic (issued no more than six (6) months prior to your initial interview) from the church of your baptism. To obtain an original copy, you must contact the church you were baptized in (via phone/email/mail/in-person) and request a copy of your baptism certificate. We’ve had many couples baptized from all over the world, so it’s possible to obtain. From non-Catholics, if baptized, a certificate of baptism is also required, however no time restriction applies.

Church law requires that both of you must be free to marry, that is, neither one of you was married before. If either of you were married before (even civilly), and your former spouse is still living, you will need to obtain a declaration of nullity on the marriage from the Tribunal of the Diocese. The Marriage Administrator will assist you with the process. Under no circumstances may a date be set for the ceremony, or even a tentative date set, until the Tribunal process is complete.

If a widow or widower is marrying, a copy of the former spouse’s death certificate is required.

A Prenuptial Questionnaire Form which will be completed with a priest, deacon or lay minister and signed by all parties at the initial interview

Affidavits of free status. The priest or lay minister will need to personally interview a witness for the bride and a witness for the groom. A witness is usually a parent, sibling, cousin, or friend who has known the party since early adolescence. The witness will be asked to swear under oath whether or not the party has ever been married before among other questions. If for valid reasons the witnesses cannot come to the appointment, a contact telephone number and name of the witness must be provided so that we may conduct their declaration by telephone.

In cases of inter-faith marriages, a Mixed Religion Dispensation or Disparity of Cult Dispensation is needed. This is done by the priest, deacon or lay minister who is handling your paperwork.

If you are completing your orientation at St. Francis but marrying elsewhere, there are additional documents and information required. The completed prenuptial forms will then be sent to the Tribunal for review and subsequently your church of marriage.

Also Needed for Engaged Couples:

Marriage license issued by any county in Texas. The license is only valid for 90 days, so plan to obtain this near the end of your marriage preparation. This must be submitted one month prior to your wedding date.

Proof of completion of your marriage preparation program, including FOCCUS inventory. The couple can choose one of these two options to complete:

Option 1: English-speaking couples can attend the Engaged Encounter Weekend, which is offered through the Marriage Ministries Office of the Diocese of Dallas. For registration information, call the office at (214) 528-2360. Or visit theDiocese of Dallas Marriage Ministry website.Option 2: Work with a Sponsor Couple - You will be contacted by one of our Sponsor Couples and set up a schedule that is convenient for all. Some topics covered include marital spirituality, effective couple communication, values, practical early marriage issues, and to discuss the results of your FOCCUS inventory. This consists of four meeting of about 1 ½ hours each.

Also needed for couples that are civilly married who wish to convalidate their marriage in the Catholic Church: